Retaining walls are well known. These structures may be built including mortar, or as introduced more recently constructed from mortarless construction. The mortarless construction includes building blocks of predetermined design which may be stacked course upon course as a wall including a cap stone. Most blocks provided in the prior art are limited in the number of degrees of freedom that they provide the professional landscaper when constructing retaining walls. This invention obviates this limitation.
Many block constructions provide for only the ability of the contractor to build a set back retaining wall. Within a retaining wall system, it would be beneficial to be able to produce wall structures which are set back and or set forward in some portions thereof and vertical in other portions thereof. This is heretofore unknown. For example, when preparing a set of steps which traverse an incline, when blocks that provide only set back wall structures are provided, the length of the steps which traverse the incline will increase and diverge by necessity. That is to say, the lengths of each step will gradually increase as one moves up the incline course upon course. It would be advantageous to be able to provide a standard block which may not only be set back when appropriate, but which also may be stacked vertically when appropriate, such as when creating steps to traverse an incline to thereby not alter the step lengths since this may not always be desirable or esthetically pleasing.
Further, quite often, cribbing is provided to reinforce or tie back a retaining wall back into the incline around which the retaining wall is being built. Although this is desirable, it is not always cost effective. It would be desirable therefore to reduce the expense by providing a retaining wall which does not require the necessity of cribbing structures being assembled. There exists therefore a need for a simple, easy to use number of components which an installer may install course upon course to prepare a reasonable number of attractive options for the building owner without limiting the number of alternatives for which recommendations may be made by the landscaper.
Examples of the prior retaining wall structures and the blocks therefore may be found in the following patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,490,075 corresponding to Canadian Patent 1,182,295, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,897 corresponding to Canadian Patent 1,204,296 teach the use of a retaining wall system as best seen in FIG. 2 which includes a number of blocks formed into a cribbing as seen in FIG. 3 in order to provide lateral and longitudinal reinforcement of the cribbing as the wall is built. Such a construction is, needless to say, very expensive and at times unnecessary. Further, referring to FIG. 8, there is illustrated and described a block construction which includes an automatic offset when like blocks are stacked one upon the other. The only way for the block can be utilized for retaining walls is if the wall is set back from the vertical. The ability to build vertical walls using the same block is described in the claims of U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,897 wherein the blocks are reversed 180 degrees as the courses progress. The block does not include the provision of building a retaining wall which may be set forward from the vertical in whole or in part. Further unless a structure as seen in FIG. 2 is built including a massive amount of cribbing, there is no tying in of the blocks longitudinally. This severely limits the imagination of the landscaper when constructing a retaining wall. There therefore exists a need for an improvement to provide more esthetically pleasing retaining walls while using a standard lead configured block.
Canadian Patent 941,626 issued Feb. 12, 1974 to Risi describes a retaining wall system including projections and grooves which interfit. However, unlike the inventions which followed this patent, the projections and recesses are vertically in alignment as opposed to being offset with one another with respect to a vertical axis. In all cases, the projections and recesses fit. That is to say, there is no ability to stack the courses in any other manner than as provided for with the interfitting of the recesses with the projections.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,505 and the equivalent Canadian 1,307,675 to Bender describes a construction block which includes a multiplicity of recesses on the bottom thereof and at least two projections being provided on the top thereof. The distance from the face of the block to the first projection is at least equivalent to the distance from the face of the block to the second recess. These blocks may therefore be stacked course upon course only in a manner which is best seen in FIG. 5, that is the building of a set back or offset retaining wall. No provision is made within this structure to provide longitudinal reinforcement for adjacent blocks as the construction of the wall progresses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,551 and the European equivalent, 59,820, to Rolf Scheiwiller describes a construction block and walls built therefrom as best seen in FIG. 2 of that patent which includes a number of projections provided on the top of the structure which interfit with the number of projections provided on the bottom of the structure. This may be seen readily in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. It may be said that no flat surface is provided on the top or bottom of the blocks between the ends of the block used in constructing such a retaining wall. Further, the structure may or may not be advantageous to a landscaper in that a multitude of blocks of various shapes and sizes as best seen in FIG. 11 is necessary to provide various forms to the retaining wall structures. The blocks may be stacked set back, exemplified by FIG. 11 or alternatively as best seen in FIG. 17 in a vertical wall construction. Further the individual blocks may be set forward as seen in FIG. 15. Again, as with the prior structures, there is no description of longitudinal reinforcing of adjacent blocks when preparing a wall structure as blocks are stacked course upon course.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,376 to Eugene Bender, issued in 1991, describes a retaining wall construction and a block therefor as best seen in FIG. 4 which is initially manufactured in a two-block module including a pre-scored section at 20 to allow separation into two like block constructions which are mirror images. A projection and a groove at 15 and 35 are therefore provided which interfit.
U.S. Pat. No. 468,838 describes and illustrates a block with interfitting recesses and grooves of standard interfitting configurations. Italian Patent 548,936 also describes a building block including interfitting grooves and recesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,193,718 describes a retaining wall which includes a set back wall construction which is tied back to the earth as described and illustrated using a unique block construction. The only type of wall construction that may be built utilizing this block is a set back wall construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,123 describes a hollow block as seen in FIG. 3 which may be formed into an inclined retaining wall as described. A forward projection at 4 as seen in FIG. 7 is provided to provide the interfitting of the blocks. These blocks may be advanced with regard to one another as seen in FIG. 3.
Australian Patent Application 17231/83 illustrates and describes a block construction as seen in FIG. 1 for building a retaining wall having a set back configuration only. Nothing is described in relation to the retaining wall that provides for tying in of adjacent blocks.
Canadian Patent 1,188,116 describes at FIG. 6 a set back retaining wall construction as does U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,706.
West German Patent Application 3,014,318 describes a block construction for the preparation of walls, steps or the like as best seen in the Figures including offset ridges and grooves which interfit in a horizontal or vertical manner as seen in FIG. 5 to present various uses for the block. Nowhere is there described in this teaching of the longitudinal reinforcement of adjacent blocks.
French Patent 957,860 describes a block wherein the ridges are in vertical alignment with one another. The blocks are hollow and are manufactured in double-block modules being mirror imaged halves.
Great Britain Patent Specification 536,434 describes a building block having projections of alternative configuration as seen in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 wherein alternative wall constructions may be formed. The block is hollow as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,094,167 to Evers, issued in 1936, provides for a retaining wall which is inclined to the vertical, although not set back when stacking course upon course, and includes blocks of various lengths as seen in FIG. 4 which provides for longitudinal and lateral interlocking of adjacent blocks through the cribbing structure therefor provided. However, there is no direct interlocking of adjacent blocks other than through such a cribbing structure.
Canadian Patent 1,237,288 to Crinnion describes, as best seen in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13, various forms of retaining walls formed by a block construction which may be set back in part, set forward in part, but never vertical in terms of wall constructions.
Canadian Patent 1,293,868 to Transpave Inc. describes, as seen in FIG. 6, various wall forms which may be manufactured from providing a unique block construction seen in FIG. 2 and in FIG. 3, provides for the advancing of sections of the wall. The same block therefore clearly is not being utilized when manufacturing such wall structures as seen in FIG. 5 which clearly sets out that a specific block 50 interfits within the pocket provided within the block 25.
Great Britain Patent 1,386,088 describes various forms of blocks which may be arranged in forming walls including a matrix of reinforcements as seen in FIG. 12 which interfit with like reinforcements to provide retaining wall constructions. Further, as seen in FIGS. 32 and 33, a unique block arrangement may be provided which describe a half-corner block. Corner blocks will be described hereinafter. In that regard, the reader is referred to this patent specification as well.
Canadian Patent Application 2,115,462 to Ciccarello describes a unique anchoring system for a block for a retaining wall including a longitudinal groove in the top face wherein a hook is adapted for engaging.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,422,588 describes another type of interfitting building block which interlocks with grooves and projections. Similarly,
U.S. Pat. No. 2,703,487 shows many forms of grooves and projections which may be provided which interfit.
West German Patent Application 2,947,653 published in 1981 and as best seen in the Figures, and specifically FIGS. 7 and 12, provides for blocks which interfit via pockets and projections which may be angled with respect to one another when required.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,039 describes a hollow block including a number of interfitting vertically aligned or horizontally aligned grooves and ridges as best seen in FIG. 6 which interfit to provide the retaining wall structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,512,685 describes a building block construction of unusual configuration for the formation of various wall forms seen in FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 which may be vertically disposed, or alternatively, as seen in FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 which are set back from the vertical. Such retaining walls provided therefor must include a variety of block sizes in order to construct the examples shown in the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,313,363 describes a retaining wall and block used for forming the same which retaining wall is set back as a result of the block construction. No other possibility is provided. Different faces, however, are provided for the blocks as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. Many of the various blocks previously described, and specifically U.S. Pat. No. 4,524,551, among others, are formed with mirror image blocks formed as a module back to back which are split along a pre-formed splitting groove. The face therefore provided by the splitting groove may be considered to be a rough, cut or split face throughout this specification. This split face presents one which has the appearance of rough stone as opposed to a smooth face which is pre-formed. This, again, is seen in the patent to Bender, U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,376. The opportunity therefore exists to provide a stone which may be formed as a module or mirror image stones formed back to back to provide various faces which may be exposed to the exterior of the wall and be viewed, that is to say a smooth face or a rough split face. This would be desirable regardless of the type of wall being built, and whether the wall includes other features such as pillars, stairs or the like.
Canadian Industrial Design 58,391 issued in 1987 to Risi Stone Inc. describes a building block having projections which interfit exactly together with a large recess provided on the bottom of the stone.
French Patent 1,192,074 describes a building block which interfits utilizing offset projections and recesses.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,392 also teaches such a similar construction having a hollow interior and utilized as a building block.
German Patent 3,029,494 describes a hollow construction member which in various wall forms as seen in FIGS. 7, 11 and 5, results from interlocking appendages at 7 and edges as best seen in FIG. 14.
Canadian Industrial Design 64,161 to Risi Stone Inc. describes an interfitting building block with an angled face which may be removed if desired via the predefined cutting of the shaped groove to expose a rough or split face. Canadian Industrial Design 57,926 also to Risi Stone Inc. describes a capping stone as best seen in the Figures. Canadian Industrial Design 58,080 to Risi Stone Inc. describes a stone similar to that previously described wherein only one ridge is provided on the stone or alternatively two ridges may be provided as seen in FIG. 1B. Canadian Industrial Design 51,313 to Risi Stone Inc. describes an interfitting building block having offset ridges and grooves. Canadian Industrial Design 51,160 to Risi Stone Inc. describes a cribbing having alternating offset recesses and grooves.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,064,313 to Risi Stone Inc. describes a reinforcing structure for an embankment used in conjunction with his stone as seen in FIG. 4 for tying back the wall so formed into the hill being landscaped. The tie back is accomplished as best seen in FIG. 6 via the netting 60 tied back to a pin 92 fitting within an opening 90 within the block. U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,293 describes another type of joint for reinforcing a wall back into a hill.
The above-mentioned references discuss blocks having various configurations of ridges and interfitting grooves. These examples are not exhaustive but exemplify the most well known systems available today for producing retaining walls. None of the systems are simple to use. None of the systems offer the number of degrees of freedom to a landscaper which allows for individual designs of the retaining wall. It would therefore be advantageous to provide a building block to allow for such individualistic designs to be obtained. Further, it would be advantageous to provide a building block which is not limited in the manner in which it may be stacked upon a previous course by the precise interfitting of projections and grooves. Such interfitting also provides for resistance to sheer in a horizontal direction. The need therefore exists to increase the surface area to which the sheer load may be distributed.
When constructing a retaining wall, it is well known that corners are unavoidable. In providing a corner, it is often necessary to provide a unique block construction. Examples of such constructions may be found in the prior structures.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,534,518 illustrates in FIG. 4 a corner block which may be utilized as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. This block allows for interfitting with other blocks including the projections illustrated. U.S. Pat. No. 1,639,063 illustrates in FIG. 3 another corner block construction for a wall. U.S. Pat. No. 2,668,435 illustrates in FIGS. 11 and 12 and the description related thereto a corner block construction.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,894 describes a hollow block which interfits using appendages at 30 correlating to hollows at 44 for forming a wall construction.
Canadian Patent 181,035 also teaches a corner block as seen in FIG. 4 therein. U.S. Pat. No. 5,160,212 describes a corner joint for a building unit substantially as illustrated.
Wedge shaped blocks are also well known. Canadian Industrial Design 45,982 to Ibstock Building Products Limited illustrates a typical wedge-shaped building block. Similar subject matter is found in Canadian Industrial Design 47,747 to Scheiwiller and Canadian Industrial Design 50,020 to the same inventor for wedge-shaped building blocks. It would be advantageous to incorporate into the design of a standard configuration for blocks a wedge-shaped building block having all of the benifits of the standard block.
Canadian Industrial Design 71,472 to Kiltie Corporation describes a wedge-shaped block as best seen in the Figures.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,252,017 describes a retaining wall including generally wedge-shaped blocks which may be tied into one another and stacked in only a set-back configuration because of the unique set-back pin construction as best seen in the Figures, and specifically FIG. 8. A wedge-shaped construction block is also provided in this regard including a rough face as seen in FIG. 14 or a smooth face at FIG. 14 being surface 42.
French Patent 2,597,132 describes a number of individual trapezoidal-shaped members seen in FIG. 1 to interlock like blocks one above the other and act as stops as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4.
Other types of retaining wall structures which have been known in the prior literature include supplementary members which are used to tie in or interconnect building blocks. Examples of such retaining wall structures follow.
German Patent Application 2,348,043 published in 1974 describes a retaining wall as seen in FIGS. 13 or 10 which includes an opening within the tops and bottoms of the block within which a peg is inserted to interconnect the inferior and superior course blocks.
German Patent Application 4,333,942 describes a retaining wall system for plant blocks which includes as best seen in FIG. 4 a groove in the top and the bottom of the blocks which interfit and contain a reinforcing rectangular member at 21 as best seen in FIG. 4. European Patent 21,449 published in 1980 describes as best seen in FIG. 3 a building block which includes recesses only on the top of walls which walls are angled one to another and contain therein members 17 which extend past the ends of the blocks. However, there is no recess disposed at the bottom of the block to tie in course upon course to resist horizontal shear forces and to tie in adjacent blocks with one another.
West German Publication 2,755,833 describe as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7 the use of interconnecting members 5 which interfit within recesses upon the top and bottom of blocks. However, the blocks do not provide interfitting recesses and appendages in combination with the block to improve the load-carrying ability of the block laterally and longitudinally.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,440 describes a building block which has hollow configurations and, as best seen in FIG. 6, may include interfitting angled reinforcing portions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,282,700 to Transpave Inc. along with Canadian Industrial Design 71,456 and 71,457 describe interlocking blocks which include offset key members for utilization for interconnecting these blocks as best seen in FIG. 16 of the patent. The key has a unique shape which is not easily manufactured. Further, these blocks can only be stacked in an offset condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,248,226 to Risi describes a unique key arrangement as seen in FIGS. 2, 5 or 4 which interfit in like grooves and ridges to advance a wall block as seen in FIG. 11 or set it back as seen in FIG. 10 with a very unique type and somewhat complicated key construction.
Canadian Patent 2,114,677 describes and illustrates a key and block arrangement for assembling a retaining wall structure as best seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B. The key may be as seen in FIG. 1.
Nowhere within the prior art is there found a standardized block construction having provided therewith the ability to form a retaining wall in whole or in part being substantially vertical, being substantially off set to the vertical, and being substantially set forward to the vertical. In this regard, there is a need for a standardized block which includes provision for the at least three positions required in order to form the aforementioned retaining walls. These blocks may be of any configuration.
Further, nowhere within the prior art is there found a standardized block construction which is manufactured to provide either a smooth face at both exposed faces, a smooth face and a rough split face for both exposed faces, or two rough or split faces for both of the exposed faces of the block. Such a structure would provide the landscaper with a much improved ability to form esthetically-pleasing wall systems. This is heretofore unknown as being provided with a standardized block construction.
Further, nowhere within the prior art is there found a standardized comer which may be utilized as a left-hand corner or a right-hand corner simply by reversing or flipping the block.
All of the aforementioned needs are therefore met by the present invention.
It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a standardized block construction which includes the ability to expose a smooth and/or a rough face at both faces of the block.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a standardized By building block which may be utilized as a double block or a single block in the various wall configurations possible.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a standardized block for retaining wall systems which include the necessary features to allow for in whole or in part setting course upon course in substantially vertical alignment, in set back alignment to the vertical, in set forward alignment to the vertical, or any combination thereof in a retaining wall system without limitation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a standardized block construction which, in combination with the features of the block improves both the lateral stability of the block and the longitudinal stability of the block when it is placed course upon course to form a retaining wall.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a standardized block construction for a corner block which may be utilized as either a left-hand or a right-hand corner block.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a substantially wedge-shaped block having all of the aforementioned features of the standardized block.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a retaining wall formed from standardized blocks which in whole or in part may be inclined to the vertical or which may be substantially vertical.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a retaining wall system including the standardized block, the corner block, and/or the substantially wedge-shaped block, which provides when stacked course upon course with one another, and esthetically pleasing retaining wall system.
Further and other objects of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when considering the following summary of the invention and the more detailed description of the preferred embodiments illustrated herein.